Guilty of illegal fund-raising

The Supreme Court yesterday sentenced a high-profile opposition figure to a 6 million won ($5,112) fine for illegal fund-raising, which bars him from running for public office for the next five years.

Kim Min-seok, a former student activist elected lawmaker of the main opposition Democratic Party, had been indicted on charges of receiving 720 million won in illegal political funds from his acquaintances for his unsuccessful bids in the 2007 presidential election and 2008 general election.

Kim also served as the party’s supreme council member.

The court also ordered him to make restitution of 720 million won.

A lower court had sentenced Kim to a year in prison, suspended for two years, a ruling that would have banned him from running for office for 10 years.

YONHAP